antiX-14 Console Decoration

BitJam · posted: 2014-05-04 04:21

You may have noticed that antiX-14 Live now has console decorations enabled by default. You can switch between virtual consoles with Alt-LeftArrow and Alt-RightArrow. Each one has a different color scheme. When you are in a virtual console you can select a new theme with the splash-select program. You can also use Ctrl-Alt-F1 -- Ctrl-Alt-F7 to jump directly to a specific virtual console or to X-windows (with Ctrl-Alt-F7) if it is running.

The F7 menu in the live bootloader lets you select different resolutions. The entries that start with"S:" have a theme. The entries below these are broken in the first alpha release but will be fixed in the next release. The first entry is called"plain" but will be renamed"safe". It disables both console decorations and the console framebuffer.

I'm wondering what happens when KMS kicks in. This only happens when a KMS-enabled video driver, such as nouveau, is used. Early in the boot process, usually when udev is starting, the console resolution increases to the maximum value (the characters get smaller). Has anyone experienced this with console decoration enabled? usually"inxi -G" will let you know if the nouveau driver is being used.

You can disable KMS with the"F5 Video Mode" -->"safe" option in the bootloader. If console decoration was disabled due to KMS, does using this option keep it enabled? If you are using the nouveau driver and KMS is not happening does using"F7 Console" -->"plain" enable it?

If anyone wants to play with the video modes that are broken in the first alpha, I can provide a new initrd.gz that fixes them. Or you can wait for the next alpha. Console decoration themes for most resolutions are available in the tarball linked to at the bottom of
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"antix.freeforu ms.org/post9211.html#p9211"
linktext was:"this post"
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. At least for now, we are only enabling"verbose" mode where the text is always visible. We do not support"silent" mode where the text is covered by a picture and all you see is a progress bar.

Thanks.

dolphin_oracle · posted: 2014-05-04 12:14

I'm using the HP with the"intel" video driver

inxi -G

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$ inxi -G
Graphics:  Card: Intel Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
           Display Server: X.Org 1.15.0.901 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1366x768@60.0hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ironlake Mobile x86/MMX/SSE2 GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 10.1.0

1. When booting with the default video entries and selecting a console decoration option from F7, I get the decorations until /dev is finished being populated and the video mode goes to full resolution. Of note is that the alt+cntrl consoles also no longer have decorations.

2. When booting with the SAFE video entry and selecting a console decoration option from F7, console decorations persist through starting X, but X does not go to the full resolution of the screen (in my case, keeping the resolution selected in F7). the consoles all still have their various color options when using"safe".

BitJam · posted: 2014-05-04 12:53

Thanks D.O. I have a couple of more questions. Do you know what the console resolution gets set to? One way to find out is to switch to a virtual console and run fbres as root. If I know the resolution, I could probably send you a theme in that size to try out.

If the selected theme has the resolution you end up with then the console decoration should still work. Along these lines, another thing to try is to use the video boot parameter to force the post-KMS resolution to one that we currently support, such as:

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video=1024x768

male · posted: 2014-05-04 13:08

I don't know if I understand the right ..
my graphics

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$ inxi -G
Graphics:  Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] RV280 [Radeon 9200]
           Display Server: X.Org 1.15.0.901 drivers: fbdev,ati,radeon (unloaded: vesa)
           Resolution: 1280x1024@77.0hz
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on llvmpipe (LLVM 3.4, 128 bits) GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 10.1.0

F5 default = S:800x600 >... S:1280x1024 jumps during boot from the console to normal X

the same with F5 safe running the boot process in the console with the appropriate resolution from correct Decoration.
This console also appears when it shuts down.

dolphin_oracle · posted: 2014-05-04 16:20

BitJam wrote:Thanks D.O. I have a couple of more questions. Do you know what the console resolution gets set to? One way to find out is to switch to a virtual console and run fbres as root. If I know the resolution, I could probably send you a theme in that size to try out.

If the selected theme has the resolution you end up with then the console decoration should still work. Along these lines, another thing to try is to use the video boot parameter to force the post-KMS resolution to one that we currently support, such as:
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video=1024x768

mine sets to the native resultion of the panel, which is 1366x768.

fbres returned a"bad command" message. I checked the resolution with

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cat /sys/class/graphics/fb0/virtual_size

which returned

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1366,768

I tried forcing the resolution with video=1024x768, but while the console window was inside those dimensions, the theming around the console still vanished (black bars around the console perimeter).

This was only for the console available at cntrl+alt+F1. The other consoles had the themeing.

BitJam · posted: 2014-05-04 21:04

Thanks D.O. This has all been really useful.

I think it would be easy for me to re-enable the decoration on the first console either when antiX-init runs or when the other terminals get decorated near the end of the boot process. One downside of this is that it causes the screen to flicker again even if the theme does not need to be refreshed. Ah, I could do it only if the console resolution has changed.

If KMS is in play, you will start out with the theme, then change to no theme when the higher resolution kicks in and then have decoration added at the higher resolution a little later on. That could be worse than doing nothing. Thoughts?

I could add the video= boot parameter to the"F7 Console" menu entries so they set the console resolution even when KMS is in play. We tried this in antiX-13 but it didn't seem to work then. Maybe it depends on the video driver being used.

Dave · posted: 2014-05-04 22:45

I to have 1366x768, and receive the same line as d.o. With that resolution, however when I force 1024x768 it spews many many many error lines. this is both with the nvidia drivers and the nouveau driver. I suppose I could try to use vesa and see if it works.

dolphin_oracle · posted: 2014-05-05 02:03

silly question: can you set the theme on the first console after X starts?

BitJam · 05 May 2014, 03:40 #9 2014-05-05 03:40

Yes. To do it manually, use either splash-select or splash-term. There is a screen shot of splash-select in the first post in this thread. If you want it set automatically then either edit /sbin/splash-all or /etc/rc.local. In /sbin/splash-term, edit this line:

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TERM_LIST=${1:-2:antiX-blue-purple 3:antiX-rev-neutral 4:antiX-blue 5:antiX-rev-blue 6:antiX-neutral-purple}

to make it:

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TERM_LIST=${1:-1:default 2:antiX-blue-purple 3:antiX-rev-neutral 4:antiX-blue 5:antiX-rev-blue 6:antiX-neutral-purple}

Or edit /etc/rc.local and give the themes as an argument:

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cat /proc/cmdline | grep -q"\<splash=" && /sbin/splash-all \
  "1:default 2:antiX-blue-purple 3:antiX-rev-neutral 4:antiX-blue 5:antiX-rev-blue 6:antiX-neutral-purple"

The splash-all program has been improved slightly since antiX-14-alpha1 was released. The new version allows multiple arguments and puts error messages in /var/log/splash-all.log.

The themes are stored under /etc/splash. There are tons of themes available on the internet. In the first post I link to the post that has the original natural_antix theme which our current themes are based on. We currently *do* *not* support silent themes. I would be happy to make a 1366x768 version of our current themes if someone is willing to test it. You can install the fbgrab program to make screen shots of the virtual consoles.

Here are some of the key assignments in the splash-select program:

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KEYS
       A   Clear and redraw the screen

       a   Redraw the screen

       C   (uppercase C) Change text alignment

       c   (lowercase c) Cycle through color schemes

       h,H Show some simple help

       k,K Debug keystrokes

       q,Q Quit the program

       r,R Restart

       s,S Show screen size

The integrated help feature is not in the version in antiX-14-alpha1.

skidoo · posted: 2014-05-10 01:45

"splash-select" is invoked via a keybind, or user must type that command name?

I'm wondering what happens when KMS kicks in. This only happens when a KMS-enabled video driver, such as nouveau, is used. Early in the boot process, usually when udev is starting, the console resolution increases to the maximum value (the characters get smaller). Has anyone experienced this with console decoration enabled? usually"inxi -G" will let you know if the nouveau driver is being used.

live session. nvidia 220GT card; 1920x1080 monitor connected via HDMI.
With boot menu values unchanged (from the defaults vga=791 etc) nouveau driver is loaded
and the smaller text size kicks in around the line mentioning slim display manager. IOW, it's working fine.

Previously, I had reported that this (newly acquired, first ws I've ever used with my deskktop PC) widescreen monitor was not being detected correctly.
After wiping the pendrive and reinstalling the alpha, that problem has not occurred.

Along the way, I temporarily disconnected the new monitor and reconnected the old.
I'm left suspecting dirty connector pins in the never-used HDMI port of this 6yr-old(?) graphics card caused my problem first time 'round.
==========
Naw, I'm fairly certain the fix is achieved by entering some arg (vga= or xres= video=) on the boot line and performing a F7 save.
? This updates something within the initrd.gz
Afterward,"it's fixed" ~~ even when"custom" boot line is not chosen (and even though, throughout, F5 option has not been changed/saved).
As time permits, I'll continue investigating this...

BitJam · posted: 2014-05-10 02:08

Thanks. I'm wondering if it will obey the"video" boot parameter. For example if you use"video=800x600" with everything else the same, does the console stay at the lower resolution?

If it does stay at the lower resolution, do the other consoles get decorated? Use Ctrl-Alt-Fn or Alt-Left Alt-Right to switch between consoles. Ctrl-Alt-F7 takes you back to X-windows. The alt-Arrow combos don't work when you are in X-windows so you need to start with Ctrl-Alt-Fn where n is between 1 and 6.

skidoo · posted: 2014-11-04 18:12

BitJam wrote:I'm wondering if it will obey the"video" boot parameter.

My belated reply is probably due to the fact that I couldn't understand the question(s), because I was never, ever, seeing the console decorations.

video=1920x1080 bootline parameter is obeyed, in the sense that (the live-init screen output and) the Ctrl+Alt consoles outside the X environment display more lines of text per screen, in a smaller font.

I now understand(?) that the reason I never saw decorations (while video=1920x1080 was in effect) is that no"theme" exists for that resolution.
With video=1600x1200 in the bootline, the decorations are displayed (expected behavior)
but text is blurry & the 1600x1200 background image is squashed/stretched to fill the 16:9 display (problematic for me, but expected behavior)

------------------

I'm still foggy on understanding VESA...KMS...nomodeset but, in retrospect, the vga= bootline parameter doesn't seem suitable for my use.
Something in the vga= bootline scenario apparently lacks support for a"mode" beyond 1600x1200.
(Tried that while using the Spring2014 beta, when I was grabbing at straws trying to workaround"black screen" problem.)

I'm wondering what happens when KMS kicks in. This only happens when a KMS-enabled video driver, such as nouveau, is used.
Early in the boot process, usually when udev is starting, the console resolution increases to the maximum value (the characters get smaller).
Has anyone experienced this with console decoration enabled? usually"inxi -G" will let you know if the nouveau driver is being used.

Yes, with video=1600x1200 + nouveau driver
the console decoration disappears for that couple seconds you described as"when KMS kicks in".
For me it's not objectionable (it's not something I would have considered to be a bug).

ps:
My testing is nearly always live+persistence only.
sgfxi does cannot work in live session, right?
Even manually, we cannot install nvidia driver in live environment, right?
(not looking for a convoluted way to accomplish the task, just seeking confirmation that it's not easily do-able)

anticapitalista · posted: 2014-11-04 21:58

skidoo, you can actually install nvidia in a live session with persistence using sgfxi/smxi.

Boot with nouveau disabled (choose vesa for example), run smxi out of X, it will complain, but give you the code smxi ! 32 (or something like that) and install as normal.

It may complain that it didn't work, but it does maybe after a second boot.

anticapitalista

skidoo, running live/persistence on a stick with nvidia.

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inxi -Fxx
System:    Host: antix1 Kernel: 3.17.2-antix.2-486 i686 (32 bit, gcc: 4.9.1) 
           Desktop: IceWM 1.3.8 dm: slim Distro: antiX-14-a5-RD_386-full Killah_P 4 November 2014
Machine:   System: Gigabyte product: N/A Chassis: type: 3
           Mobo: Gigabyte model: F2A85XM-D3H Bios: American Megatrends version: F1 date: 10/05/2012
CPU:       Single core AMD A6-5400K APU with Radeon HD Graphics (-UP-) cache: 1024 KB flags: (lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm) bmips: 7187.23 clocked at 3593.616 MHz 
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA G98 [GeForce 8400 GS Rev. 2] bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:06e4 
           X.Org: 1.16.1 driver: nvidia Resolution: 1280x1024@60.02hz 
           GLX Renderer: GeForce 8400 GS/PCIe/SSE2 GLX Version: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 340.46 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card-1: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] FCH Azalia Controller 
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:14.2 chip-ID: 1022:780d 
           Card-2: Microsoft LifeCam VX-1000 driver: USB Audio usb-ID: 003-002 chip-ID: 045e:00f7 
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: k3.17.2-antix.2-486
Network:   Card: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller 
           driver: r8169 ver: 2.3LK-NAPI port: d000 bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: 94:de:80:22:3c:e7
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 484.2GB (0.2% used)
           1: id: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD1600AAJS size: 160.0GB serial: WD-WCAP95014132 
           2: id: /dev/sdb model: ST3320620AS size: 320.1GB serial: 9QF9VV48 
           3: USB id: /dev/sdc model: TS4GJFV10 size: 4.1GB serial: LULBH06R-0:0 
Partition: ID: /home size: 239M used: 2.5M (2%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 1.09GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 12.4C mobo: N/A gpu: 0.0:45C 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A 
Info:      Processes: 87 Uptime: 1 min Memory: 121.9/2995.8MB Runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 4.9.1 
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.30 running in roxterm) inxi: 1.9.16

skidoo · posted: 2014-11-13 06:48

Thanks for the tip, but I tried 7 or 8 times and it fails. I'll try again after the next release.
The current nouveau driver is working fine & that's what I usually test with.
FWIW, the earlier driver (or the kernels during 3.7--3.12) did have some occasional 'tearing', noticeable in iceweasel when scrolling.

=============

on a related note:
smxi handles updating the initramfs and (so) a persist-save operation is unnecessary?

Are persist-save (and persist-config) unavailable in runlevel 3 ?
(If so, user can just type 'init 5' prior to attempting persist-save operation?)